As vaccines are rolled out nationwide and are available to any adult who wants one, we appear on the cusp of a return to some level of normalcy. With that return to normalcy will come an increased focus on...more
5/10/2021
/ Biden Administration ,
Civil Rights Act ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) ,
Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) ,
Labor Relations ,
NLRB ,
OSHA ,
Sexual Orientation Discrimination ,
Title VII ,
Wage and Hour ,
Workplace Safety
In an issue of first impression, on April 8, 2021, a three-judge panel of the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals unanimously ruled that an arbitration clause in an employment contract that waives appellate review is enforceable....more
Welcome
With the second issue of the 2021 edition of SuperVision, we are focusing on "what's next." More than 100 days into Biden's Presidency and with more than 100 million Americans fully vaccinated from COVID-19, we...more
5/6/2021
/ Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) ,
Arbitration Agreements ,
Biden Administration ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Employment Contract ,
Employment Policies ,
Infectious Diseases ,
NLRB ,
OSHA ,
Section 7 ,
Vaccinations ,
Website Accessibility ,
Workplace Safety
Welcome to Volume 5, Issue 11 of Currents. As we begin a new month. I'll remind everyone that we are continually looking to write about different topics...
In Shift, Oil Industry Group Backs Federal Price on Carbon -...more
When the Consolidated Appropriations Act ("CAA"), 2021, was signed into law by Donald Trump on December 27, 2020, it meaningfully opened the door for employers to assist employees with student loan debt. The CAA authorized...more
Exxon, Chevron CEOs Discussed Merger Last Year -
"Chevron’s Mike Wirth and Exxon’s Darren Woods spoke as the Covid-19 outbreak hurt oil and gas demand, adding financial strain to both companies, Dow Jones said."
Why...more
We are pleased to bring you our first SuperVision issue of the year. 2021 is anticipated to be a year of changes -- from a new presidential administration to a new phase of COVID-19 and vaccines -- and we are embracing that...more
Renewables to Dominate New U.S. Power Capacity in 2021 -
"Renewable energy, mostly solar and wind, are set to account for more than two-thirds of the new electricity generation capacity that the United States will...more
Congress Reaches Compromise on Clean Energy Deal to be Attached to Government Funding Bill -
"A bipartisan energy package hitched to the spending bill includes provisions to boost technologies such as advanced nuclear...more
12/23/2020
/ Biden Administration ,
Blockchain ,
Climate Change ,
Coal Industry ,
Electricity ,
Energy Projects ,
Energy Sector ,
Energy Storage ,
Exports ,
Oil & Gas ,
Renewable Energy ,
Solar Energy ,
Transmission Grid ,
Wind Power
Welcome to our 46th issue of Currents for 2020. Our Energy Practice Group looked at current energy articles, and we also explain the significance of every article. These issues peaked our interest this week, and we have...more
With the release of new COVID-19 vaccines comes hopes of a return to "normalcy" and new concerns for how to protect your workforce. Can you make vaccines mandatory for your employees? If so, what considerations must you take...more
Welcome to Currents, our weekly publication providing insights to the latest energy news and U.S. EIA statistics.
Currents is different from other e-newsletters in that it not only provides current energy articles, but it...more
12/14/2020
/ Climate Change ,
Coal ,
Coal Industry ,
Coal-Fired Plants ,
Electricity ,
Energy Policy ,
Energy Sector ,
Exports ,
Greenhouse Gas Emissions ,
Oil & Gas ,
Renewable Energy
When much of the country locked down in March 2020, very few expected us to still be dealing with this pandemic in December 2020. And yet, here we are. In fact, coronavirus cases are rising sharply throughout much of the...more
What Can We Expect from a Biden Administration?
As President-elect Joe Biden begins to transition into the Oval Office, employers cannot help but look ahead to what the next four years may hold. Although a Biden...more
All Virginia employers subject to the jurisdiction of the Virginia Occupational Safety and Health ("VOSH") Program (i.e., practically all employers in Virginia) must comply with new workplace safety standards related to...more
The Editors' Note -
Welcome to this edition of SuperVision, the e-newsletter for Spilman Thomas & Battle's Labor & Employment Law Group. 2020 continues to bring unforeseen challenges, but employers are beginning to get back...more
9/5/2020
/ Appeals ,
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Department of Labor (DOL) ,
Emergency Rule ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) ,
Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) ,
Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) ,
Final Rules ,
Harassment ,
Lack of Authority ,
New Guidance ,
NLRA ,
NLRB ,
Notice of Right to Sue ,
Paid Leave ,
Protected Activity ,
Quarantine ,
Remote Learning ,
Section 7 ,
State OSHA Laws ,
Traveling Employee ,
Virginia ,
Workplace Safety
On July 15th, Virginia approved temporary emergency workplace safety standards related to COVID-19, making it the first state in the nation to do so. While final language has yet to be approved, the standards are expected to...more
7/20/2020
/ Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Employment Policies ,
Health and Safety ,
Infectious Diseases ,
OSHA ,
Risk Assessment ,
Safety Standards ,
Sick Employees ,
State Labor Laws ,
Workplace Decontamination ,
Workplace Hazards ,
Workplace Safety
Effective at noon today, May 29, 2020, Virginia Governor Northam's Executive Order 63 went into effect, requiring face coverings to be worn in certain circumstances. Specifically, a face covering is required for individuals...more
In this webinar, Spilman attorneys Eric Kinder and Carrie Grundmann walk through the legal considerations, and hurdles, in managing a telecommuting workforce as well as offer practical HR guidance on how get the best from...more
Governor Ralph Northam signed two bills that both go into law on July 1, 2020, and will drastically alter employment discrimination claims in Virginia.
The Virginia Values Act ("VVA") (Senate Bill 868) makes sweeping...more
The Families First Coronavirus Response Act and state enactments on unemployment, business closures, and mandatory shelter at-home orders have impacted business of all sizes. Businesses are looking for practical advice to...more
On March 18, 2020, Governor Jim Justice suspended the rule prohibiting bars and restaurants from providing beer and wine for off-premises consumption. Restaurants and bars with Class A licenses are now permitted to sell...more
It has long been said that summary judgment is not available to litigants in Virginia state courts. The difficulty resulted from Virginia's prohibition against using discovery depositions in support of a motion for summary...more
Welcome to the fourth quarter edition of SuperVision, the e-newsletter from Spilman Thomas & Battle's Labor & Employment Law Group.
Just as we were going to press, the National Labor Relations Board ("NLRB") issued two...more
12/18/2019
/ Appeals ,
Confidentiality Policies ,
Email Policies ,
Employee Privacy Rights ,
Governor Wolf ,
Internal Investigations ,
Minimum Wage ,
NLRA ,
NLRB ,
Over-Time ,
Profanity ,
Public Comment ,
Public Policy ,
Racist Remarks ,
Rules of Civil Procedure ,
Self-Defense ,
Sexual Harassment ,
Summary Judgment ,
Title VII ,
Workplace Communication ,
Workplace Investigations
Each year, U.S. employers who have at least 100 employees or are a government contractor with 50+ employees and at least $50,000 in government contracts must file an EEO-1 form with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission...more